SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

• US 20100141733A1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobotix AG (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mobotix AG (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Hubrich, Ralf, Borchers, Klaus
• Granted Patent: US 9,065,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/85 using pre-processing or post-processing specially adapted for video compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/91 Entropy coding, e.g. variable length coding [VLC] or arithmetic coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

The invention relates to a surveillance system comprising an image recording unit for recording optically distorted images and a transmission unit for transmitting the image information from the image recording unit to a reproduction unit that reproduces the images previously recorded as optically distorted images as undistorted images. According to the invention, the transmission unit is configured to transmit image details of distorted images and to transmit at the same time additional information allowing restitution of the image details, thereby allowing a restitution in the reproduction unit.

Claims

1. A surveillance system having an image recording means for recording optically distorted images and having a transmission means for transmission of image information from the image recording means to a reproduction means which reproduces, in an undistorted form, image details of the images which have been recorded with optical distortion, characterized in that the transmission means is designed for detail transmission of distorted images and for joint transmission of additional information, which allows image detail distortion to be corrected, in order to allow distortion correction in the reproduction means.

2. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the image recording means has an addressable image sensor, preferably an image recording sensor which can be addressed line-by-line and/or row-by-row, in particular a CMOS sensor.

3. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the image recording means is designed for digital recording of optically distorted images.

4. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the image recording means is equipped with at least one wide-angle objective, in particular with a viewing angle of more than 90°

, in particular a fish-eye objective.

5. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the image recording means is designed for repeated recording of moving images, in particular with an image repetition frequency of ≧

1 Hz, preferably ≧

5 Hz, in particular preferably ≧

10 Hz.

6. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the image recording means is preferably equipped with at least (1, 2), in particular preferably with at least 3 megapixels for digital recording of high-resolution images.

7. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmission means is designed for transmission of image information via a limited-bandwidth channel, in particular LAN, WLAN or by radio, for example via Bluetooth, UMTS, GSM.

8. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmission means is designed for transmission of compressed image information from the image recording means.

9. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the reproduction means is provided with a monitor, in particular a computer monitor in a control center, preferably a control center for monitoring of images from more than one image recording means.

10. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a storage means for storage and/or protection of the transmitted image information and of the additional information which allows image detail distortion to be corrected, or for storage of images whose distortion has been corrected is provided between the transmission means and the reproduction means.

11. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that bidirectional communication is provided via the transmission means, in particular for transmission of control information to the image recording means, in particular for definition of PTZ parameters and/or image details defined on the reproduction means.

12. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that characteristic variables which indicate an image detail are transmitted from the reproduction means, for example a control center, to the image recording means via the transmission means.

13. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmission means is designed for compressed transmission of distorted images, in particular differences between compressed image data streams, which differences are obtained by subtraction between successively obtained images.

14. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmission means is designed for simultaneous transmission of a plurality of image details from one and the same image recording means.

15. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmission means is designed for joint transmission of variables which characterize the position of the image detail in the overall image.

16. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the transmission means is designed for transmission of image details in the form of sectors, and/or rectangular image details.

17. An image reproduction means as part of a surveillance system as claimed in claim 1.

18. A driver for a surveillance system as claimed in claim 1.

19. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the image recording means is designed for digital recording of optically distorted images.

20. The surveillance system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the image recording means is equipped with at least one wide-angle objective, in particular with a viewing angle of more than 90°

, in particular a fish-eye objective.